DNA Leads To An Arrest In The 23-Year-Old South End Murder Of Lena Bruce

A suspect linked to one of Boston’s most notorious unsolved murders was arraigned Wednesday in Suffolk Superior Court.
On June 12, 1992,  21-year-old Lena Bruce’s body was discovered by her roommate in their South End apartment. She  been badly beaten, sexually assaulted and suffocated. 
 Now, more than 23 years later, a suspect,  James Witkowski, was arraigned.  DNA taken from the crime scene at the time matched DNA samples taken from a mandatory swab from inside the suspect’s mouth.  Witkowski was arrested this year for an unrelated crime and was required to consent to a DNA test.  Witkowski, described as a 42-year-old vagrant, is being held without bail. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for November 3^rd.